Our Lady of Mercy Regional Catholic School in Upper Dublin busts a move for cancer research

UPPER DUBLIN — Groove things and tail feathers were being thoroughly shaken at Our Lady of Mercy Regional Catholic School, all for a great cause.

Students at the elementary school in Upper Dublin partnered with the Penn State University Mini-THON organization for a mini-dance marathon Feb. 1 as part of Catholic Schools Week. Students raised more than $2,000 toward the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, which will go toward pediatric cancer research, all while bustin’ a move on the dance floor.

Hundreds of students in kindergarten through eighth grade filled the school’s gymnasium from 9 to 11 a.m. dressed in Mini-THON T-shirts and gym uniforms and boogied the morning away. Student representatives from Penn State were also at the school to help keep the party fun and entertaining and to dance with students as they celebrated their big achievement.

The dance marathon was the culmination of an ongoing service project for the fifth-grade class, according to fifth-grade teacher Susan Timlin, who organized the event. Fifth-grade representatives visited each class leading up to the event to collect donations for the Four Diamonds Fund.

Every student that donated money was given a diamond that they could put their name on to show their support of the Four Diamonds Fund, and the diamonds were be hung around the halls of the school.

“This was a great community-building exercise,” said Principal Kathleen Diltz. “It brought the fifth grade together to work on the project and as they spread their message out to the school, it brought the other grades together with fifth grade, and today is just an awesome example of how they’re all having fun together.”

Timlin said the project took about two months to organize with students volunteering their time to make signs and collecting donations in the mornings and at recesses.

“Our fifth-graders have taken a lot of their time to make sure this was a great day,” she said.

The event was the cap to the weeklong Catholic Schools Week at the school. Catholic Schools Week is hosted by the National Catholic Educational Association and ran from Jan. 27 through Feb. 2. This year’s theme was “Catholic Schools Raise the Standards.”

According to the NCEA’s website, “schools typically celebrate Catholic Schools Week with Masses, open houses and other activities for students, families, parishioners and the community at large. The 2013 theme supports the recent launch of the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools, that ensure the effective operation and responsible governance Catholic schools across the country, thus promoting high academic standards and Catholic identity. The logo designed for the week illustrates a chart of steady growth culminating in the highest achievement of all, a cross representing the faith that underscores all Catholic education.”

According to a press release, “The Four Diamonds Fund was founded in 1972 by Charles and Irma Millard, in memory of their son, Christopher. The Four Diamonds Fund is named after a story Christopher wrote shortly before he lost his battle with cancer at age 14. In his story, Christopher writes about a knight who must find the four diamonds of courage, wisdom, honesty and strength in order to be released from captivity by an evil sorceress. These four diamonds are symbolic of the traits Christopher believed were necessary to overcome cancer.”

The organization has helped serve more than 2,000 families since it was founded and continues to help an additional 100 families every year, according to the release. Any child being treated for cancer at Penn State Hershey Medical Center is eligible for support. The Four Diamonds Fund covers all additional expenses not covered by insurance or other means and helps families pay for expenses like car repairs, home utilities and rent that might otherwise impact the welfare of the child.

In 1977, the organization partnered with Penn State’s THON dance marathon and has since raised more than$88 million.

Along with Our Lady fo Mercy, more than 80 high schools, middle schools and elementary schools hold their own Mini-THONs and have raised more than $1.5 million.